


Are We There Yet

by MoreThanTonight



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Soulmates, X-Factor - Freeform, larry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-07
Updated: 2013-06-07
Packaged: 2017-12-14 06:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/833623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoreThanTonight/pseuds/MoreThanTonight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>There is a moment in everyone’s life where it feels like the earth stopped rotating and is standing still in its axis. Where breathing seems impossible, redundant even. Your eyes widen involuntarily, as though they are trying to capture every single detail and commit it to memory for eternity. This was that moment for Harry Styles.</i><br/> </p><p>Harry and Louis meet in the bathroom before their X-Factor auditions when Harry realises he has found his soulmate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Are We There Yet

**Author's Note:**

> I've heard that the boys met in the bathroom during bootcamp, but I tweaked it a little because.. fiction. 
> 
> Also, insert disclaimer here.

There is a moment in everyone’s life where it feels like the earth stopped rotating and is standing still in its axis. Where breathing seems impossible, redundant even. Your eyes widen involuntarily, as though they are trying to capture every single detail and commit it to memory for eternity. Every passing second seems excruciatingly slow but yet too fast. Panic creeps up your spine and festers to every single vertebra.

 

What if you blow it? What if this is the moment and you let it slip through your fingers forever? And the moment you let it go, it falls to the ground and shatters to a million small irreparable pieces? You want to save it. You want to save your moment and grasp it in your hands, but time moves so sluggishly and your mind is sloppy. You can’t string together two sentences, despite the fact that every fibre in your body is screeching for you to do something. Something. Anything.

 

This was that moment in Harry Styles’ life.

 

Harry never expected to have _the moment_ when he was just sixteen years old. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, could it? It had to be right now when were so many other things in his life at the same time and he was crumbling under the weight of juggling them all. It was far too soon. He had too many other things to think about, like his freaking X-Factor audition that he had spent weeks preparing for. It was just his luck that he would have his _moment_ when he was desperately tugging his fingers thought his curls in a vain attempt to tame them, and the spray of water from the sink splashed on the front of his shirt, soaking it with a dark stain. It was just his luck that he would meet _him_ like this.

 

Even though Harry felt water trickle down his chest, even though his curls were wild and all over the place and his eyes were wide as saucers from nerves, he couldn’t help but freeze at the sight of the other boy who just walked into the bathroom.

 

The loud flutter of noises – a mix of chatter, vocal warm-ups and just excited static – seeped through the open door, but when the boy closed the door behind him, everything fell silent.

 

 _God_ , he was beautiful. All smooth lines, flawless skin and a complexion that shone so bright that Harry almost wanted to cover his eyes. Almost. He was slightly taller than Harry and maybe a few years older, all thought there was a boyish shadow behind his features. Harry could only stand and stare as the boy flashed him a smile so confident that it felt like something shifted within him. Bonds were broken and new ones were forged.

 

He couldn’t move a muscle as the other zipped down his jeans, his back turned towards Harry as he relieved himself in the urinal. The harsh sound of liquid hitting the ceramic surface echoed through the small room and that was when it hit Harry. He was staring and he couldn’t bring himself to look away.

 

This was _it_. This was the moment. This was the _guy_ and Harry was staring at him like a pervert while he was _pissing_.

 

Suddenly everything caught up with him. The messy failure of his hair, his impending audition, the wetness on the front of his shirt, that his throat felt like it was closing up and the beautiful, beautiful boy in front of him who may or may not be his soulmate. All these thoughts built up, the pressure increasing and pushing, fighting against every corner of his skull until he couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“Oops,” he blurted out.

 

Oops indeed.

 

But the boy seemed completely unfazed by it. He zipped himself up and turned around to face Harry. Harry who looked like a dear caught in headlights.

 

“Hi,” he replied in a cheery voice. If Harry hadn’t known better, he would have sad that the boy was some sort of elf. Not the short, impish ones that hid in raspberry bushes, but the elegant, slender ones from Lord of the Rings. Like Legolas, just without the long silver hair.

 

“I- uh..” Harry wanted to smack himself for his eloquence. This was it, this was the moment and he was completely blowing it.

 

Of _course_ the sink didn’t backstab the boy when he washed his hands. No, it was only Harry who had the misfortune of looking like someone spilled a drink down his chest.

 

“Do you need a hand with that, mate? I’m assuming that you are here for the auditions as well and you don’t want to go in there looking like that, do ya?” he asked. And _god_ , even his voice was stunning, like melting honey spread on warm toast.

 

Harry blushed furiously and nodded, trying to compose himself. _Get a fucking grip, Harry. This is your soulmate. He is The One,_ he told himself.

 

“Saving your voice for the judges, I see. Well, I’m Louis,” the boy continued on just as merrily, as though he wasn’t talking to a frozen gargoyle – or at least a good impression of one.

 

“Louis.” Harry tasted the name on his lips, admired the way his lips moved smoothly to mimic the name, and adored the sound of something so terribly beautiful. “I mean.. That’s a pretty name. A name fit for a big star,” Harry quickly straightened himself up before the other thought he had escaped from an asylum or something.

 

“I’m Harry,” he grinned, some miracle of an autopilot taking over his bodily functions and extended a hand towards Louis.

 

If Harry was in any doubt that the boy – _Louis_ – was his soulmate, it all went away when his hand came in contact with Louis’. He believed in fate and he believed in One True Love. But he thought that when people talked about fireworks and electricity, they were just being metaphorical. And there he was, experiencing the tingling feeling between his fingers from where Louis had squeezed his hand.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m usually not this clumsy. It’s just the nerves, you know,” Harry explained while trying to wipe his shirt with paper towels. However, he didn’t expect Louis to help him out, his fingers casually brushing Harry’s chest with his wet shirt sticking to it. A shiver went down Harry’s spine, but it felt like comfortable warmth. Blue eyes met green. Harry’s lips parted softly in wonder as he stared. Stared into Louis’ eyes like a fucking princess who just had her hide saved by a dragon-slaying prince. And Louis stared back.

 

The previous carefree smile on Louis’ lips was gone. Instead it was replaced by an awed look, as though he was confused and enlightened at the same time. As though this was something he had been waiting for all his life without knowing that it even existed. Harry wasn’t sure who pulled away first, but suddenly they were both clearing their throats and sending each other shy smiles.

 

“You are going to kill the judges with your talent, aren’t you, Harry?” Louis asked. Harry wondered if the look in Louis’ eyes was hope. Was he really hoping that they both would get through so that they could meet again? If they really were soulmates, he was sure that everything would work out. Suddenly he wasn’t so nervous anymore.

 

Harry flashed Louis a dimpled smile and nodded. “And you are going to blow their minds.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. Harry just knew without even having to hear Louis sing.

 

“See you on the other side of the auditions, Haz.”

 

\--

 

When Harry killed his audition, he learned that Louis did as well. The hug they shared was etched in Harry’s memory forever as the time that he learned that his soulmate smelled like summer and that his laughter was more addicting that the worse drug he could think of.

 

During bootcamp, it felt as though Louis was _home_ , the place where he was meant to be. He didn’t know many of the other contestants but he couldn’t care, not when he could curl up on Louis’ lap at the end of the day and complain about how much his feet hurt from trying to dance. Louis took it with a smile, always took everything Harry plummeted at him with a graceful smile that made Harry’s knees weak.

 

Louis didn’t know that he was Harry’s soulmate, but it was okay. Harry knew that it was going to be fine, that somehow fate would find a way to solve it all. For now he was content with being Louis’ best friend and pretend that the unique bond they shared was normal between best friends. He didn’t let anything bring him down. Even when he learned that Louis had a girlfriend, Harry just smiled. _One day_ , he thought, _One day he’ll be mine. One day he’ll see that I’m his soulmate._

 

 

When they learned that they didn’t go through his solo artists Harry didn’t even give himself the time to grieve. All he could think about was how on earth he was supposed to keep Louis as his soulmate when they would have to leave each other and probably never see each other again. He was an awkward sixteen year old with dreams that were too big for him while Louis was talented and had a girlfriend who even Harry had to admit was quite pretty.

 

When they were put together in a band, the other boys laughed in happiness. Harry sighed in relief. Harry had only met the boys a few times, but he had never really spoken to them. Except Louis. Louis stood out like a beacon, blinding Harry for not the first time in his life. If anyone asked him how it felt to get a second chance, Harry would say that it was a dream come through and a blessing in disguise. He would never tell anyone how his heart was beating like a drum, going _LouisLouisLouis_ with every heartbeat _._ He was getting a second chance. It was all going to be okay. No matter how long it took, he was willing to wait.

 

And in the end, a few months later, Harry found out that the wait was more than worth it.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> [Here is my tumblr, if you guys want to hit me up.](morethantonight.tumblr.com) Kudos and comments are appreciated (:


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